The present invention is directed to devices for controlling and trapping mice and other rodents, commonly referred to as "mouse traps".
Known mousetraps are disadvantageous in many respects. Many of the conventional devices kill and mutilate the trapped rodent, creating unsanitary conditions and requiring unpleasant clean-up activities. Moreover, the trapped rodent is not concealed but remains in open view in its mutilated condition. The conventional devices generally include moving mechanical parts which increase the complexity of manufacture, and correspondingly increase the cost of the devices to the consumer.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for trapping mice and other rodents, in a manner which overcomes the disadvantages of the known prior art devices. The methods and apparatus provided by the present invention permit entrapment of the rodent without physical mutiliation thereof; entrap the rodent in a sealed container thereby concealing the entrapped rodent and avoiding direct contact therewith; permits disposal of the entrapped rodent in a living state; and contains no complicated mechanical parts thereby facilitating the manufacture of the device and reducing the cost thereof.
Other objects and advantages of the methods and apparatus in accordance with the present invention will become apparent from the following discussion.